Electric-circuit controller for internal-combustion engines.



C. CUNO. ELECTRIC CIRCUIT CONTROLLER FOB. INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINES.

I APPLICATION FILED NOV. 21, 1907. 910,91 3.

L/ II'I'MIW \Q UNITED srnrns PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES OUNO', OF MERI'DEN, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR TO THE CONNECTICUT AUTO'ENGY- NEERING CORPORATION, OF MERIDEN, CONNECTICUT, A CORPORATION.

' ELECTRIC-CIRCUIT CONTROLLER- FOB INTERNAL-COMBUSTION ENGi'NESl Patented Ian. 26, 1909.

5,176. Divided and this application filedNovemherZl,

1907. Serial No. 403,171.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, CHARLES (Juno, a citizen of the United States, residing at Meriden, county of New Haven, State of Connecticut, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Electric-Circuit Controllers for Internal-Combustion Engines, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

Myinvention relates to electricalaPparatus particularly useful in connection with jum -spark ignition systems for internal com ustion engines.

This application. is a division from my former application Serial No. 335,176, filed Se tember 19, 1906.

he object of the invention is to provide a simple and effective apparatus for accurately timing the moment of ignition. The

construction is such that a clean and effective electrical connection is provided.

Many other advantages will be apparent to the mechanic skilled in this art from a reading of the following description.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a cross section of my improved timer, certain of the parts being shown in elevation. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section, certain parts being shown in elevation. Fig. 3 is a v1ew partly in section, of a detail of construction. Figs. 4 and 5 are diagrammatic views of certain parts relatively enlarged.

1 represents a hollow casing of circular outline and provided with a flange 1 2 is a cover adapted to the flange 1 to close the open side of the casing.

3 is a shaft passing into the casing 1.

dis a sleeve fixed on shaft 3,.

5 represents the end of a cam shaft, socalled, such as employed in gas engines, and by means of which the timer is usually driven.

, 6 is a lever-arm s lined upon shaft 3 within the casing 1, w ereby said lever-arm 6 will .be driven therewith. This lever-arm projects from o posite sides of the shaft 3 and its forwar end is forked to carry a swinging lever-arm 7, which latter lever-arm carries at one end a revoluble roller 8, having a beveled peripher In the preferable form, the peri her of? the roller 8 is provided with a oub e bevel, as best seen. in Fig. 2.

9 is a spring connected to the lever-arm 7 at; the end opposite the rollen 8. This spring 9 is also connected to the rear extens sion of. arm- 6, as best seen ill-Fig. 1*. The action of spring 9 is to force the roller 8' outwardly or away from the shaft; 3.

Within the casing 1 is a lining 10- of in;- sulatingmaterial.

11-11 are contact blocks: insulated from the casing 1 and from each other by being set into or suitably carried: blining; L0; These contact blocks 11 ro ect slightly above the inner surface of tlie lining 10'and are shaped to correspond with the beveled contact edge; of the roller 8 1E21-2 are. binding posts electrically 0011f nected with the several contact: blocks 7 1111-, said binding posts being located externally of the casing 1-, and being-insulated therefrom, as by bushings 14 1=4f-.

The casing 1 and cover 2. are novided with suitable hub extensions whic are in turn suitably recessed to receive anti-friction ball bearings 15. These ball bearings may be ofany suitable type, and prevent lateral play of the casing 1 on the shaft 3 and afford a very light running engagement,,so-that the shaft 3 may be freely turned within the casing 1, which latter is ordinarily held against movement by means of a suitable rod connected tova post 16.

. 17 is a screw-threaded cap which is adapted to close the hub of the cover 2,.the said cap being bored out at its center to-afiord clearance for the end of shaft 3. That part ofithe cap 17 around this bore rests against that set of ball bearings in the hub of cover 2, so that by screwing the cap 1.7 in. or out, the properend-wise adjustment of the-ball bearmgs may be effected to regulate end play. When adjustment is efiected, the cap 17 may be locked against movement by means of a set-screw 18, the end of which may be screwed down until it engages with the end of the hub of cover 2. The est l 6-prefer ably extends entirely througii the casing 1 and cover 2, enetratinglininglO. Whereas one end of t 's post ldmay be used to hold the timer casing against rotation and adjust the time of the spark, theopposite end may be provided with a nut 19 to hold the cover 2 in place. Any desired number ofv these cover fastenings may be employed, in, fact, it is immaterial how the cover 2 is-held in place.

In the modification shown in Fig. 3, the end of shaft 3 is bored out to receive a ball 1 contact 20,'pressed outwardly by means of a spring 21.

22 is a part of the cap 17 or an adjustable extension thereof, the function of which is to bear against the contact ball 20 and thus provide an efiective electrical connection at all times, whereby a binding post 23 may be employed. This binding post 23 is electrically connected with the part 22.

In operation the shaft 3 is rotated, carrying with it the contact roller 8 which engages successively contact blocks 1111. While not in engagement with a contact block, the extreme edge of the roller 8 rests upon the insulating lining 10, and is supported thereby. (See the diagrammatic view, ig. 4). When the roller is in electrical contact with a block 11, it is only that part of the roller which has not been in engagement with the lining 10 that engages said block (See the diagrammatic view, Fig. 5). As a result of this arrangement, that part of the contact roller which is to make an electrical contact with the blocks 11, is always clean, bright and free from dirt, thus guaranteeing an effective and uniform contact throughout that eriod when the circuit should be close By providing beveled contact faces, a light rubing or slipping action is produced, tending to keep the contact surfaces bright, without producing undue wear.

In the ordinary use of devices of this character, the primary circuit leads from the several terminals 12 to the spark coil (not.

shown). The other leg of the primary circuit usually leads back and is grounded upon the engine, the latter being relied upon to complete the circuit to the timer through the cam shaft 5. It is preferable, however, to provide a properly msulated and effective return le and to that end I refer to provide the binding post 23 to whic said return leg may be connected. By this means a mini-' mum of resistance is ofiered to the current in the primary circuit.

In the device shown 1n the drawings, the

. timer is adapted to a four-cylinder engine and consequently four terminals 12 are i found. This, however, is immaterial, since the timer may be adapted to an engine having any number of cylinders.

An early or late spark may be secured by merely shifting the angular position of the casing and the contact blocks 11-11 carried thereby.

While the position of the lever-arm 7 carrying the roller, as shown in the drawin s,,is preferable for a rotation of the shaft 0 ockwise, the shaft 3 ma however, be turned in either direction. T e position of the roller may be readily reversed by merely moving the roller toward the shaft 3 to a sufficient extent to free its edge from the lining 10. By

block attached to said linin then slipping the parts end-wise they may be removed from the shaft 3, reversed and replaced with little or no trouble. As shown in the diagrammatic view, Fig. 5,- it is preferable to recess that part of the contact block which faces up with that part of the contact roller which is adapted to rest upon the insulating lining as the said roller moves from one to another of the contact blocks 11.

What I claim is 1. In an electric circuit controller for internal combustion engines, the combination of a rotary shaft, acontact roller mounted thereon and movable towards and from said shaft, a relatively fixed contact piece projecting into the path of said roller, a spring tending to move and hold said roller away from said shaft, said contact piece and roller having opposing beveled faces adapted to make a rolling and rubbing contact as the roller traverses the contact piece, means to support said roller against pressure of said spring while said roller is not on said contact piece, said supporting means engaging apart of said roller not adapted to directly engage said contact piece.

2. In an electric circuit controller for internal combustion engines, the combination of a rotary shaft, a contact roller mounted thereon and normally movable towards and from ,said shaft, a relatively fixed contact block havingl a groove arranged to receive a portion of t e rim of said roller adapted to make a rubbing contact therewith, and an insulating support for said roller whilenot traversing said block, said support being adapted to make contact with another portion of the rim of said roller.

3. In an electric circuit controller for internal combustion engines, the combination of a casing, a rotary shaft, an insulating lining, a contact roller yieldingl' connected with said shaft and having a eveled rim adapted to traverse said lming, a contact and having a beveled contact surface in t e path of said roller and arranged to receive and make electrical connection with a portion of the rim of said roller, another portion of the rim of said roller making contact with said insulating lining when said roller leaves said contact piece.

4. In an electric circuit controller for internal combustion engines, a casing, a rotary shaft therein, a contact roller yieldingly connected with said shaft and normally moving outwardly, a contact piece within said casin in the path of movement of said roller an arranged to be engaged by a part thereof, an

insulating support for said roller after it' leaves said contact piece, said support engaging another ortion of said roller than that through which tact piece is effected.

5. In an electric controller, a casing, a

electrical contact with the conrotary shaft therein, a relatively fixed .contact member carried by the casing, an insulating lining, a relatively movable contact member carried by the shaft and arranged to traverse the fixed contact member and lining, the fixed contact member engaging one part of the movable contact member, the lining engaging another part thereof.

6. In an electric controller, a casing, a rotary shaft therein, a relatively fixed contact member carried by the casing, an insulating lining, a relatively movable contact member carried by the shaft, having an edge and sides, the sides of said movable contact traversing the fixed contact member, the edge only of the movable contact member engaging the lining.

7. In an electric controller, a rotatable shaft, a casing revolubly mounted at two bearing points thereon, a terminal carried by the casing at the side of said shaft, a contact member carried by the shaft between the two bearings thereof and arranged forintermittent. electrical connection with said terminal, another terminal insulated from the first and carried by said casing at the outer end of the shaft and arranged to make continuous electrical connection therewith, said terminals being the opposite poles of the same circuit.

8. In an electriccontroller, a rotatable shaft, a casing revolubly mounted at two bearing points thereon, a terminal carried by the casing at the side of said shaft, a contact member carried by the shaft between the two bearings thereof arranged for intermittent electrical connection with said terminal, another terminal insulated from the first and carried by said casing at the outer end of the shaft, and arranged to make continuous electrical connection therewith and including a other member engaging the movable contact at the edge only.

10. In an electric controller, a casing, a rotary shaft therein, a relatively fixed contact member carried by the casing, an insulating lining member, a relatively movable contact carried by the shaft and arranged to member and be supported thereby, one of able contact, the other of said members engaging another part of said movable contact alternately.

11. In a timer, a case or container, a lining of insulating material, a segmental contact block having a groove extending longitudinally thereof, said groove having an inclined Wall, a shaft, a contact roller carried by said shaft eccentric thereto and movable toward and from the axis thereof, the periphery of the Wall of the groove in the block, and means to yieldingly press said contact roller away from said shaft to effect an electrical connection through said wall of the groove in the block While the roller is traversin said block. CHARLE CUNO. Witnesses:

L. T." FULLER, V. M. KOOREMAN.

contact away from the edge thereof, the

traverse the fixed contact member and lining said roller being shaped to correspond with said members engaging one part of the mov- 

